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8 Date

The Power of Giving

February 17–23

SABBATH—FEBRUARY 17
READ FOR THIS WEEK’S LESSON: Mark 16:15; 1 Peter
3:8, 9; 1 Corinthians 9:14; Romans 3:19–24.

MEMORY VERSE: “Surely you know that those who

work at the Temple get their food from the Temple.
And those who serve at the altar get part of what is
offered at the altar. It is the same with those who tell
the Good News. The Lord has commanded that those
who tell the Good News should get their living from
this work” (1 Corinthians 9:13, 14, ICB).

AS WE SAW LAST WEEK, the Bible teaches that we must

pay tithe. Paying tithe means giving back to God 10% of all the
money we get. Paying tithe is the same as passing a test. When
we pay tithe, we show our faith. So, we pass the test when we
pay tithe (2 Corinthians 13:5, NLV).
The first time we read about tithe in the Bible is in the story
about Abraham in Genesis 14:18–20. In this story, Abraham
gives tithe to Melchizedek. The Bible also tells us the Levites Paying tithe is the same
took tithe for the work they did in the temple (2 Chronicles as passing a test. When
31:4–10). Today, tithe is used to support those who share the we pay tithe, we show our
Good News. faith. So, we pass the test
when we pay tithe.
Tithe is God’s plan. So, we need to understand the impor-
tance of paying tithe and how the money is used in the
church to do God’s work. God made this plan to help us grow
stronger in our spiritual lives. Paying tithe is God’s way for
us to support the preaching of the Good News about Jesus.
So, every loyal manager should pay tithe. Yes, paying tithe is
the first work managers must do. This week we continue to
study God’s plan for tithe.
THE POWER OF GIVING 53
 Lesson 8 SUNDAY—FEBRUARY 18
OUR MONEY HELPS GOD’S WORK GO FORWARD
(Malachi 3:1–6)

Jesus tells us to “ ‘preach the Good News’ ” (Mark 16:15, NLV).

He also tells us to “ ‘go and make followers’ ” and to “ ‘teach them
to do all the things I have told you’ ” (Matthew 28:19, 20, NLV).
Yes, God wants us to be part of the most important work on
earth. That work is bringing people to Jesus. We are responsible
for providing the money for this work. So, we must support God’s
work with our money. Then we will grow closer to God. We will
want to tell other people more about Jesus too.
Every follower of Jesus is a manager of everything God
gives to him or her. God’s gifts to us include our money. So,
we must bring God our tithe. Tithe is 10% of all the money
we get. Our tithe is used to help finish God’s work on earth.
This work is holy. So, we must pray that we will be loyal
to God with our money. We must pray that we will all help
support God’s holy work. Then our faith will grow strong.

Read Malachi 3:10. As this verse shows us, what is God’s

plan for supporting and finishing His work on earth? What
does the “ ‘entire tenth [10%]’ ” (Malachi 3:10, NIrV) mean?
What does the wording “ ‘so that there may be food in My
house’ ” (Malachi 3:10, NLV) mean?

People have paid tithe since the time of Abraham and

Jacob (Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22). Maybe people paid
tithe long before this time, too. God provided this plan to
support His church.
Today, many Christians give very little to help the work
of God. That is very sad. But what would happen if every
Christian gave a loyal tithe? Something powerful would
happen! A miracle too wonderful to put into words!
God always has people who are willing to provide money
to support His work on earth. All of us must work together
God wants us to be part of to support this important work. But we must support God’s
the most important work on work in the right way. We must not be careless. We have
earth. That work is bringing much more important work to do today than the people and
people to Jesus. We are
the Levites had when they said to Nehemiah, “ ‘We will not
responsible for providing
the money for this work. forget to take care of the house of our God’ ” (Nehemiah
10:39, NLV). We must work together to support God’s work.

God’s plan to save the people of this earth is very big

(read Revelation 14:6, 7). So, what part do we each have
in using our tithe to support this work?

54 THE POWER OF GIVING

 MONDAY—FEBRUARY 19 Lesson 8
“ ‘GOOD THINGS FOR YOU’ ” (Malachi 3:10, NLV)

Yesterday, we saw in Malachi 3:10 that God promises to

pour out “ ‘good things’ ” (NLV) on His followers who are
loyal to Him with their money. But we should not think that
this verse means we will receive only more things from Him.
That idea is very limited. It shows we fail to understand the
true meaning of God’s promise to us.
The good things Malachi talks about are not just things
we can touch and see. They include spiritual things, too.
What are these things? They are the gifts of happiness,
peace, and believing God always is doing the best for us.
Did you know that when God pours out His gifts upon us we
must share those good gifts with people in need? So, God
gives to us so that we also may give to others.

Read 1 Peter 3:8, 9. In these verses, Peter says there

is a connection between getting good things from God
and sharing them with others. What is the connection?

Paying tithe is a two-in-one gift: (1) God gives to us; then

(2) we give to others. God’s gifts fill our hearts with the
desire to share with people the things God gives us. Then
God’s gifts touch their lives in ways we can see. “ ‘Give, and
you will receive. . . . The way you give to others is the way
God will give to you’ ” (Luke 6:38, ICB).

Read Acts 20:35. How can the truth of this verse

also be used to help us understand better what tithing
means?

The best gift we get from paying tithe is that it teaches us

to trust in God (Jeremiah 17:7). “God built the plan of pay-
ing tithe on a rule that was everlasting. The tithe plan was
a gift to the Jews, or God would not have given it to them. God gives to us so that we
This tithe plan also will be a gift to those who follow it to the may give to others.
end of time. Our Father in heaven did not make this plan
to make Himself rich. Instead, this plan is God’s wonderful
gift to man. God saw that this plan was exactly what man
needed.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies [Messages] for the
Church, volume 3, pages 404, 405, adapted.

Think of how God has shown you His favor by what

other people have done for you. How can you do this
same thing for others too?

THE POWER OF GIVING 55

 Lesson 8
“God has a special use for
our tithe. Tithe must not
be used as money for the
poor. Tithe is to be used to
support workers who are
spreading God’s message
over all the earth. Tithe
should be used for no
other purpose.”—Ellen G.
White, Counsels [Advice]
on Stewardship [Taking
care of the gifts God gives
us], page 103, adapted.
56
TUESDAY—FEBRUARY 20
THE PURPOSE OF GIVING (1 Corinthians 9:14)
Paul writes: “ ‘When a cow is walking on the grain to break
it open, do not stop it from eating some,’ ” and “ ‘A person
who works should be paid’ ” (1 Timothy 5:18, NLV). Here,
Paul says what Moses said in Deuteronomy 25:4 about the
ox and what Jesus said in Luke 10:7 about the worker. The
saying about the ox means that it is good and right for the
ox to eat grain while working. In the same way, Paul says
that those who preach the Good News should be paid.
Have you ever noticed that God takes the separate things
that He makes and then arranges them together in groups
to do special work? He made the stars to give light. He filled
forests with everything needed to support life: trees, plants,
soil, rocks, sunlight, and water. He made your stomach to
make use of the food you eat. In the same way, He also
made the plan of tithe. The plan of tithe is God’s command
for us to give back to Him 10% of all the money we get. The
plan of tithe supported the work of the Levites (Numbers
18:26) in God’s place of worship. Modern-day Levites are
pastors. They give their whole lives to the work of preaching
the Good News. So, God made the plan of tithe to support
pastors in their work.
What does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 9:14? How
does this verse and 2 Corinthians 11:7–10 show that we
must support those who spread the Good News?
Paul received money from a poor church in Macedonia
while he worked in a rich church in Corinth. Paul tells the
Corinthians that those who preach the Good News should
be paid for their work.
Tithe should be used only for one special purpose. And
we always must follow this plan. “God has a special use
for our tithe. Tithe must not be used as money for the poor.
Tithe should be used to support workers who are spreading
God’s message over all the earth. Tithe should be used for
no other purpose.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels [Advice] on
Stewardship [Taking care of the gifts God gives us], page
103, adapted.
Read Leviticus 27:30. How is the rule found in this
verse important for us to follow today?
THE POWER OF GIVING
 WEDNESDAY—FEBRUARY 21 Lesson 8
THE STOREHOUSE (1 Chronicles 26:20)

Did you know God has a storehouse for wind (Jeremiah

10:13)? And one for water (Psalm 33:7)? And one for snow
and hail (Job 38:22)? God has total control over them all. But
God’s most precious storehouse is the one for tithe. Tithe is
the money we give back to God. It is 10% of all the money we
get. “ ‘The people of Israel will give a tenth [10%] of what they
make. I give that tenth to the Levites. This is their payment
for the work they do serving at the Meeting Tent’ ” (Numbers
18:21, ICB). This verse is the first time the Bible tells us where
the tithe is kept. From this verse, we get the idea named “the
Storehouse Rule.” The Storehouse Rule explains what should
be done with the tithe. The Bible says God told the Israelites
to bring the tithe to the place He chose (Deuteronomy 12:5,
6). During the time of Solomon, tithe was sent to the temple in
Jerusalem. So, the Israelites knew exactly what and where the
“storehouse” was when God’s special messenger Malachi told
them: “ ‘Bring to the storehouse a tenth [10%] of what you gain
[get]’ ” (Malachi 3:10, ICB). Storehouse was a word picture. It
meant the place where God was worshiped.

Read 1 Chronicles 26:20; 2 Chronicles 31:11–13; and

Nehemiah 10:38. As these verses show us, what other
names does the Bible use for storehouse?

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has members all over

the earth. They accept and practice the Storehouse Rule.
Seventh-day Adventists are encouraged to send back their
tithes to the local church where they are members. From
there, the tithe is sent to the church treasury. Then pastors
are paid out of this treasury.
“God’s work will spread. Then many workers for God
will ask for money to help to spread the Good News. More
and more, workers everywhere will ask for money to help “People who say they are
them do God’s work. So, it is important for Christians to Christians should bring to
God their tithes and gifts
obey the command in Malachi 3:10. People who say they
of money. Then God’s trea-
are Christians should bring to God their tithes and gifts of sury will be full.”—Ellen
money. Then God’s treasury will be full.”—Ellen G. White, G. White, The Acts of the
The Acts of the Apostles [Leaders], page 338, adapted. Apostles [Leaders], page
338, adapted.
What if people sent their tithe anywhere they wanted?
Then what would happen to God’s work? Why is it
important to send our tithe to God’s treasury, where it
belongs?

THE POWER OF GIVING 57

 Lesson 8 THURSDAY—FEBRUARY 22
GIVING TO GOD AND GOD’S PLAN TO SAVE US
(Romans 3:19–24)

Read Romans 3:19–24. What important truth is taught

in these verses? Why is this teaching important to all
our beliefs?

The most important idea of these verses is that no one

is worthy to be saved (Romans 3:23). But what if we were
worthy? Then that would mean we could be saved by the
good works we do. But that idea is wrong.

Read Romans 4:1–5. What do these verses teach us

about the truth that we are saved by God’s loving-favor
and not by our own good behavior?

The Bible teaches us that being saved is a gift from God

(Ephesians 2:8, 9). We cannot do anything to earn this
gift. We are saved because Jesus died for us on the cross.
God gives us His favor because of what Jesus did on the
cross. So, that means we do not earn points for any special
favor from God because we pay our tithe. After all, the tithe
already belongs to God. So, how can we earn God’s favor
by giving back to Him what already belongs to Him?
Paying tithe does not save us. And we cannot be saved
by any other good works that we do. But God made us for
that very reason: we were made to do good works. The
Bible tells us, “[God] has made us to belong to Christ Jesus
so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this”
(Ephesians 2:10, NLV).
Paying tithe does not save us. But paying tithe shows the
faith in our hearts. When we give back tithe, we also show
we are not proud. We show that we serve God. Paying tithe
shows we understand that we owe God everything. Giving
back tithe shows we know we are only managers of the
things we have in this life. The Sabbath helps us understand
this truth about tithe too. Each week the Sabbath helps us
remember that God made us and saves us. Paying tithe
helps us remember these things too. How does paying tithe
do that? Paying tithe shows we understand we did not make
ourselves. Paying tithe shows we know that our lives and our
Paying tithe shows we know being saved are gifts from God.
that our lives and our being
saved are gifts from God. What does Luke 21:1–4 say to us about what it means
to live a life of faith?

58 THE POWER OF GIVING

 FRIDAY—FEBRUARY 23 Lesson 8
ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: It is so easy to forget that every
breath and every pump of our hearts and each moment of
our lives comes only from the Lord. In Acts 17, Paul talks to
the people of Athens. Athens is a city in Greece. Paul talks to
the people of Athens about the true God. Paul says that God
is the One who made us: “He is the God who made the world
[the earth]. He also made everything in it” (Acts 17:24, NIrV).
Also, God is the One who keeps us alive. His power helps
us “live and move and keep on living” (Acts 17:28, NLV). The
people of Athens did not know about the true God. But we
know because we are Christians. How we live our lives must
show this truth. God asks us to do many things for Him. So,
our lives need to show we are doing those things that God
wants us to do.
“God puts His treasures in the hands of men. But He
commands that we separate 10% of all the money we
get. This 10% is for His work. God orders that this money
should be placed in His treasury. We give this money to
God because it belongs to Him. This money is holy. It is
to be used for holy purposes. It is to be used to support
those workers who spread the Good News to all parts of
the earth. God commands that 10% of all we earn should
be put to this use. And so, there always will be money in
God’s treasure house. Then the truth can be spread to
everyone near and far away. God’s loyal followers will give
back to Him 10% of all the money they get. In this way, they
show that everything belongs to God.”—Ellen G. White,
Testimonies [Messages] for the Church, volume 6, page
386, adapted.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1 Ellen G. White says, “We must not hold back from God what
belongs to Him.”—The Acts of the Apostles [Leaders and
Teachers], page 566, adapted. What do these words mean? Paul tells the people of
What do we lose when we do not pay tithe? Paying tithe is giving Athens that God is the One
who made us.
back to God 10% of all the money we get.

2 Think more about church members doing whatever they want

with tithe. Some members might send it to help people instead
of sending it to God’s “storehouse.” Why is that a bad idea? Why
would sending the tithe wherever we want cause the church to
become weak?

THE POWER OF GIVING 59